Matthew Crooks, the father of Thomas Matthew Crooks, has spoken out amid making his first public appearance since the fatal shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
RELATED: Ex-Classmates Speak On Thomas Matthew Crooks, The Suspect Who Allegedly Tried To Assassinate Donald Trump (VIDEOS)
Thomas Matthew Crooks’ Father Makes First Public Appearance
According to Fox News, Matthew Crooks was spotted shopping at a Bethel Park, Pennsylvania grocery store on Monday, July 22. A “local business employee” and a neighbor reportedly identified the man to reporters.
The outlet reports that Matthew and a masked woman declined to answer questions when approached. However, before he unloaded his items into his car, Matthew spoke a few words to reporters.
“We’re going to release a statement when our legal counsel advises us to do so,” Matthew explained. “Until then, we have no comment. We just want to try to take care of ourselves right now. Please, just give us our space.”
The outlet reports that the Crooks family has been cooperating with the FBI as the investigation into the fatal shooting remains ongoing.
Here’s What Has Been Reported About The Crooks Family
According to the outlet, Matthew and his wife, Mary Crooks, are both “licensed as professional counselors” in the state of Pennsylvania. As The Shade Room previously reported, their son, Thomas, graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022.
Former classmates of Thomas largely described him as a loner who was a “target” for bullying. Despite this, some described being shocked at the 20-year-old’s attempt to assassinate Donald Trump.
Thomas’ political affiliation remains unclear. However, it has been reported that before taking to a roof near Trump’s Butler rally, he arrived at the location with bomb-making materials in his car.
Thomas reportedly worked as a dietary aide at a nursing home in Bethel Park. In the hours before the shooting, he reportedly told his boss he needed July 13 off for “something important.” Furthermore, Thomas reportedly told his coworkers he would see them the following day.
Most recently, authorities revealed that the 20-year-old allegedly searched for photos of President Biden and Donald Trump ahead of the shooting. Additionally, Thomas reportedly searched for the dates of the upcoming Democratic Convention, per The Shade Room.
The Incident Has Also Landed The Secret Service In Headlines
As The Shade Room previously reported, it is believed that Crooks was present at Trump’s Butler rally for some time before he allegedly used an AR-style rifle to unleash at least five shots on Trump and the crowd.
The Secret Service’s director, Kimberly Cheatle, has since resigned after receiving extreme criticism for the “security lapse” at the venue.
